§457-8  Licensed practical nurse;
qualifications; license; fees; title; existing licensed nurses; verification of
licenses; eligibility.  (a)  An applicant for a license to practice nursing
as a licensed practical nurse shall submit an application on a form prescribed
by the board and shall provide written evidence that the applicant has
completed a licensed practical nurse program, or its equivalent, approved by
the board, and holds a diploma or certificate therefrom.



(b)  Licenses shall be granted either by:



(1)  Examination:  The applicant shall be required to
pass a written examination in nursing subjects as determined by the board. 
Upon the applicant's passage of the examination and compliance with the
applicable requirements of this chapter and the rules of the board, the board
shall issue to the applicant a license to practice nursing as a licensed
practical nurse; or



(2)  Endorsement:  The board may issue a license to
practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse by endorsement to any applicant
who has been licensed as a licensed practical nurse, or a person entitled to
perform similar services under a different title, under the laws of another
state, territory, or foreign country if the applicant has an unencumbered
license and, in the opinion of the board, the applicant meets the requirements
for licensed practical nurses in this State at the time of graduation.  Pending
verification of a valid, unencumbered license from another state, a temporary
permit may be issued for employment with a Hawaii employer.



(c)  The applicant applying for a license to
practice as a licensed practical nurse by examination shall pay application,
examination, and reexamination fees, if applicable, as prescribed by the
board.  Each applicant who successfully passes the examination shall pay a
license fee.  The applicant applying for a license to practice as a licensed
practical nurse by endorsement shall pay application and license fees.



(d)  Applicants who have graduated from a
practical nursing program at an educational institution in a foreign
jurisdiction and are applying for a license to practice as a licensed practical
nurse by examination shall submit to the board proof of eligibility. 
Applicants shall be eligible to apply for a license by examination if they have
met the educational requirements prescribed in the rules of the board and have
had their transcripts evaluated by professional evaluators designated by the
board and are considered qualified as determined by the board through rules
adopted pursuant to chapter 91.



(e)  Any person who holds a license to practice
nursing as a licensed practical nurse in this State shall have the right to use
the title "Licensed Practical Nurse" and the abbreviation
"L.P.N.".  No other person shall assume the title "nurse" or
in any manner imply that the person is a nurse except as provided in sections
457-7 and 457-8.5 or use the abbreviation "L.P.N." or any other
words, letters, signs, or devices to indicate that the person using the same is
a licensed practical nurse.



(f)  Any person who requests verification of a
practical nurse license to a nursing board of another state shall pay a license
verification fee.



(g)  Unless determined to be insufficient or
otherwise invalid by the board, all transcripts, diplomas, certificates of
graduation, and other credentials submitted by any applicant in compliance with
the application procedures for examination and licensure under this section
shall be retained by the board for two years and shall suffice as proof of
graduation upon subsequent submittals of applications for reexamination within
two years by any applicant. [L 1970, c 71, pt of §1; am L 1972, c 43, §2; am L
1974, c 25, §2; am L 1983, c 119, §6; am L 1984, c 7, §§44 to 46; am L 1990, c
105, §3; am L 1992, c 202, §109; am L 1995, c 88, §3; am L 1996, c 150, §3; am
L 1997, c 39, §3 and c 40, §14; am L 2004, c 88, §3]